Top Stories – Feb 9 – Netflix Restrictions

The days of free Netflix for family and friends are coming to an end. Netflix Canada is rolling out its long-anticipated plans to crack down on password sharing. Its sending emails about limitations on who can access their account outside households. Under the new rules, premium and standard account holders will be given the option to add extra members for $7.99 per month.

Kelowna Council approved a development permit for two, five-storey apartment buildings at the intersection of Benvoulin and Cooper, the former Westwind Nursery site. The proposal includes 187 units, as well as a playground, community garden area and fenced dog run. Council also unanimously voted to have staff report back with information related to traffic concerns along the adjacent Mayer Road.

The BC government expects over a million jobs to open across the province over the next decade. 63 per cent will be from current workers retiring. The key growth areas will be in the technology and health care sectors.

Kelowna Council wants more information on a BC Transit plan for a new electronic fare collection system across BC. It is scheduled to be implemented in the Kelowna Regional Transit System late this year. It will allow customers to pay their fare using a mobile app, reloadable smart card as well as credit and debit cards, and cash.

If owning a hotel is on your bucket list, there’s one on a prime piece of real estate in Kelowna on the market. The Ramada at Highway 97 and Dilworth is listed at just under 32 Million dollars. The property also has a pub, family restaurant and a conference centre. It was last assessed at about 15 Million.

As of January 29th, more than 150,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Canada since the Russian invasion of their country last year. More than 800-thousand have applied under the unique emergency program that gives the refugees temporary status. Humanitarian groups are calling on Ottawa to extend the application program that allows refugees to temporarily live, work and study in Canada, beyond the March 31 deadline.

Police in Kelowna and West Kelowna arrested two men in separate stolen vehicle cases yesterday. In Kelowna, a man also wanted on a breach of a Conditional Sentence Order and in possession of stolen identification, was busted on Mills Road with a stolen truck. On the other side, a man was picked up on Westside Road in a stolen truck. It’s also believed he had failed to stop for police on Tuesday.

Much of the province could be in for a drought situation later this Spring and Summer but such is not the case for the Okanagan. The BC River Forecast Centre says many areas are seeing below normal snowpacks for this time of year with one as low as 64%. However the latest measurement in the mountains around here put the snowpack at 121% of normal.

Rescue crews are warning that time is running out to find survivors of the massive earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The deadliest quake in over a decade brought massive destruction and more than 12,000 people had died as of yesterday. Adding to the worries are growing concerns about the amount of time trapped people could survive in the cold.

Sports

The Kelowna Rockets wrapped up their 2 game set in Prince George last night with a 7-2 loss. These 2 teams aren’t done yet as they’ll play again tomorrow night at Prospera Place.

At Madison Square Garden the Canucks lost their 2nd straight game on this road trip, 4-3 to the Rangers. Next up is one against Bo Horvat and the Islanders today at 4:30.

Bo Horvat expressed his gratitude to Islanders supporters after they chanted his name during his home debut with the club Tuesday night. He got a standing ovation after scoring his first goal for the team.

American quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. has signed a one-year extension to keep him with the BC Lions through the 2024 season. He was previously eligible to become a free agent after the 2023 campaign.